Churchill concludes weather-shortened fall meet

Sizzling equine performances topped by a Hoppertunity

victory in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap, dazzling

performances by rising two-year-olds in a pair of "Stars of Tomorrow" programs,

and an early winter blast that forced the cancellation of back-to-back racing

days for the first time in more than four decades were highlights of Churchill

Downs' fall meet that concluded on Sunday, November 30.

An unusually early winter combination of a three-inch

snowfall and temperatures that plunged into single-digits combined to freeze the

main track at Churchill Downs on Monday, November 17. Ongoing below-average

temperatures and a slow thaw prompted track officials to cancel live racing

programs planned for Wednesday, November 19, and Thursday, November 20, as well. There was no

training over the one-mile surface from Tuesday, November 18, through Thursday, November

20.

The cancellation on November 19 was the first winter

weather-related cancellation since November 13, 1986, and the back-to-back

cancellations on November 19-20 were the first since a frozen track forced

cancellation November 23-24, 1970. Track Superintendent David Lehr's 26-person team

worked around-the-clock throughout the week to get the one-mile surface back in

shape for a resumption of training and racing on Friday, November 21.

The racing program during the meet that had been

scheduled for 26 racing days remained strong, thanks in part to the track's

program of two-year-old racing highlighted by its pair of "Stars of

Tomorrow" programs for juveniles and its stakes program headed by the

Clark, which was first run during the track's inaugural meet in 1875

and, like the Kentucky Derby and

Kentucky Oaks, has been run annually without interruption since.

The average number of horses-per-race during the 24 days of

racing was 8.56, which was down 2.4 percent compared to the average of 8.77

horses-per-race during the 25-day fall meet of 2013. Purses paid during the meet

totaled $8,617,940, an increase of 4.8 percent from the total of $8,222,779 in 25 days

of racing in 2013. There were 250 races with a total of 2,140 starters during

this year's weather-shortened fall meet, compared with 254 races run in 2013.

Average daily purses totaled $359,081 compared to $328,911 a year ago -- a 9.2

percent

increase.

Although four races from the canceled programs were added

to the remaining racing programs during the meet, the cancellations reduced the

number of races offered by 20. Those canceled races offered purses of $558,000.

"We faced challenges -- expected and unexpected -- during the

fall meet, but our racetrack team responded strongly in dealing with those

issues and our fans continued to support us during the remainder of the meet

that, as a whole, was very satisfying," said Kevin Flanery, president of

Churchill Downs. "We are deeply grateful to our horsemen for their patience and

support during our uncommon stretch of winter weather, and to all of the teams

at our track.

"David Lehr's track crews got little to no sleep for a week as they

battled the frigid weather and worked tirelessly to ensure that our track was

safe and fair when racing resumed. Our group sales and events teams displayed

the same level of commitment in working to satisfy patrons who had scheduled

visits or special events at Churchill Downs during our canceled racing

programs.

"Our fall meet was solid from its opening day, but the

support of horsemen and fans after our winter weather issues was most

gratifying. Our closing weekend racing cards were very strong and fans responded

in both their attendance and at the wagering windows on our traditionally

popular programs on Thanksgiving Day, the 'Black Friday' Clark Handicap card and

our final Saturday's 'Stars of Tomorrow' program, one of the most impressive in

the 10-year history of that concept."

The Clark, the annual highlight of the fall meet, did not disappoint when

Hoppertunity, a major contender for this year's Kentucky Derby who was knocked

out of that race by injury, returned to Churchill Downs to win the race

for three-year-olds and up by a half-length. The Clark victory was the third for

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, the second for co-owner Mike Pegram and the first

for jockey Martin Garcia.

Hoppertunity led a 1-2-3 finish by three-year-olds in which the

Todd Pletcher-trained Protonico and Constitution, another Derby hopeful who had

been sidelined by injury before the Run for the Roses, finished second and

third, respectively.

The "Stars of Tomorrow II" program on the final Saturday of

the meet produced dazzling performances by two-year-olds who could emerge as

contenders of the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks.

Zayat Stables' El Kabeir, Godolphin Racing's Imperia and

William S. Farish's Eagle were separated by less than a length in a thrilling

1-2-3 finish in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club. Earlier, Mary and Gary

West's West Coast Belle held off No Fault of Mine to win the Grade 2 Golden Rod for

two-year-old fillies. It was the second stakes win of the meet for West

Coast Belle, who had also captured the Rags to Riches overnight stakes for

trainer Wayne Catalano on the meet's opening day.

The Kentucky Jockey Club and Golden Rod awarded points on

the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" and "Road to the Kentucky Oaks" points system

to the respective top-four finishes in those races. The points will determine

the horses that participate in next year's Derby and Oaks at

Churchill. El Kabeir and West Coast Belle earned 10 points each for

their respective races.

Other eye-catching "Stars of Tomorrow II" performances were

turned in by the unbeaten Dortmund, who traveled from California for three-time

Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert to take a one-mile allowance race by

7 3/4 lengths, and Taylor S, a two-year-old filly whose 6 1/4-length win in a

six-furlong allowance race was one of three winners on the day for trainer Dale

Romans.

G. Watts Humphrey's homebred Frivolous upset

heavily-favored Don't Tell Sophia in a 19-1 upset in the 99th running of the

Grade 2 Falls City Handicap for fillies and mares on Thanksgiving Day.

Trainer Vicki Oliver, the owner/breeder's daughter, collected her first

Churchill stakes victory in the race and Frivolous was ridden by

54-year-old jockey Jon Court, who scored his first stakes win since he suffered

a serious injury to his right hand in a riding mishap in the spring.

Other notable stakes wins during the meet included

victories by Sparkling Review in the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere for three-year-old

fillies on the grass; Molly Morgan, who took the Chilukki for her

second Grade 2 win of the year; the three-year-old Heart to Heart, who scored his second stakes win of the

year on the Churchill Downs grass in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf; the

five-year-old Villandry, who took the Grade 3 River City Handicap; Strike Charmer, who scored the first stakes win of her

career when she took the Grade 3 Cardinal Handicap; and Conquest Tsunami,

who won the Street Sense on the opening day "Stars of Tomorrow I" racing

program.

Jockeys Julien Leparoux and Robby Albarado achieved career

milestones during the fall meet. The 31-year-old Leparoux collected his 2,000th

career win in a one-length victory aboard In My Time in an October 29 allowance

race. Albarado, 41, celebrated his 1,000th career victory at Churchill Downs

when he guided Red Masserati to victory in a November 13 claiming race.

Corey Lanerie rode 36 winners during the fall

meet's 24 days to collect his fifth-consecutive leading rider title at a

Churchill Downs racing meet. It was the seventh title in the last eight

Churchill meets for Lanerie, who now ranks 11th in all-time victories by a

jockey at the track. Shaun Bridgmohan finished second (25 wins) and Leparoux

(24) was third.

Louisville native Dale Romans saddled 14 winners to earn

his 12th title of leading trainer at his hometown track. Romans edged Wayne

Catalano by one in a race that came down to the meet's final day.

There was a tie for leading owner at 12 wins apiece between

all-time Churchill Downs win leaders Ken & Sarah Ramsey and Gary & Mary

West. The title for the Ramseys was their record-extending 23rd overall and 12th

fall meet crown. The tie provided the Wests with their first leading owner

title at the home of the Kentucky Derby.

It was a busy meet at the claiming box, with 139 horses

claimed during the 24 days for a total of $2,732,000, which generated $163,920

in sales tax revenue for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com